Ask Bridalwave!

Sara asks… “I have come across an article on Bridalwave that featured a dress titled “Oli Vintage Style Wedding Dress” dated back July 2007. There is a link to Oli.co.uk but the dress is no longer available on that site. I’m getting married in a little over a year and have been searching everywhere for that “perfect” dress. This is that dress! It’s simple but so lovely and would be perfect for my wedding. I was hoping that you could help me with who designed the dress or where on earth I can find it. I’ve searched the internet and have come up empty handed. Please help me if you can.”

Guys, I know alot about wedding dresses buut I am not a walking encyclopedia about manufacturers and stockists and so on (sorry!). All the information I know is given in the post with a link to the stockist. Take the Oli vintage dress, I wrote about it seventeen months ago so I’ve just had to search this site for it, and I agree, it is gorgeous. Am I the right person to ask about it though? No. Oli was the stockist and they will have far better idea than I about whether they’ve got a dress lurking in their warehouse or where they send their leftover stock to. You can contact them via the email form on this page or by telephone 0844 55 65 654. I would suggest including as much detail as possible such as the size you need and a heartfelt plea with a good helping of politeness never goes amiss.

However, here are some more tips for anyone seeking dresses that they’ve spotted on this site or anywhere else…

I love hearing from you (especially when you say nice things) and I know you often have questions. So, if you’ve spotted something in the Bridalwave archives and need some more information or have a burning question you want either me or the team to answer, then please feel free to leave your comment here and we’ll do our best to help.

To help us though, please tell us which country you are in (so we can look for information in the UK if that’s where you are) and your budget if it concerns a product (eg pink bridesmaid shoes for under £50). If you’re looking for a particular dress, we can only answer queries if you have a picture you can email with as much information as possible. I’m sure you’ll understand I can’t identify every white dress out there from just a picture though!

Regretfully, we can’t answer every query but we’ll do our best.

If you want us to look at your product or website with a view to featuring it, don’t hesitate to leave your details here too and we’ll get in touch with you asap.

“I am desperately in love with this dress worn by Kelly Osborne to the National TV Awards on 31 October 2007. It was also used as Karen’s wedding dress in episode 12 of Californication. Any chance you could help?” Alison

Alison, I really wish I could but after much searching I haven’t come up with anything either. If you hadn’t said it was used in Californication, I would have thought it was vintage due to Kelly’s well known penchant for fashion from bygone eras. Unfortunately it is absolutely impossible for me to search through every designer to look for it and that’s assuming it’s even a bridal style. However, I would suggest checking out Sarah Arnett Bridal for vintage inspiration or even Calvin Klein for a similar gold style. But if any of our readers know the designer, do leave a comment for Alison.

I’ve always been pleased to receive a handwritten thankyou note along with a picture of the couple after the wedding. Adding the snap is a really nice touch and makes those notes just a bit more special. However, whilst writing a mountain of notes gives you cramp, purchasing all those prints can get expensive. Fortunately with all the digital printing sites on offer, we can all get some great deals. All you have to do is select your favourite digital print and then check out these sites for the best deals leaving you quids in.

Boots
Sign up offer: 10 free 6×4 prints free when you register.
Price per 6×4 print: 20p per print, lowering to 6p when ordering 150+
Any extras: Collect four advantage card points for every £1 spent.Website

“I am hoping I can “Ask Bridalwave” for a solution to my veil dilemma! I’m wearing this Julien McDonald dress. A well meaning friend, to my eternal horror, has offered to lend me her pillar box hat/veil combo which she thinks will set this dress off – I have grave grave reservations about such a “look”. I was thinking of a very plain fingertip length veil to complement the fitted nature of the dress but as I still have not made a decision as to which way to wear my hair I am not definite about this look either.

I’ve searched the net in the hopes of seeing this dress teamed with a veil but I have not come across any. Can you make a few suggestions as to the type of veil or hairpiece, if any, that would do justice to this dress?” Orla.

Friends are well meaning, aren’t they? They love their own outfits so much, that they expect you to love them too. A polite but firm ‘no thanks’ should suffice here or if you think that would still hurt their feelings the only other option is to lie. ‘My mother found this great veil/ headpiece and I can’t let her down’ or similar should do.

And now the dress which is a great mermaid shape with a halterneck and beading detail. It’s such a pretty shape and design that there are plenty of ways you could accessorise it, from a retro fascinator to hair jewellery or a veil. Personally, I’d opt for either one, or a combination of, the latter two and I’d certainly be drawn to something that reflects the beautiful star-like detailing on the front of the dress.

“I’m writing to ask girls at Bridalwave to help me identify where a dress is from. I found it on Ebay and fell in love with it – this is the one. I tried to find this dress on the internet but without any luck. Perhaps someone will recognise it and tell me the designer of the original? Hope that you can help me. Many thanks, Arelya”

I have spent some time looking for this dress as I’m fairly certain that I have seen it before – I even thought I may have featured it here – and I suspect it’s a fairly well known designer, but all my searches have come up with nothing! So, I’m turning it over to you eagle eyed readers. Can you help our longtime reader Arelya identify the designer and find this gorgeous dress? (If the comments are still playing up, drop me a line at the email address on the right).

‘Green’ weddings are something we’re quite keen on here, but don’t worry, we’re not going to get evangelical about it (we’ve got ethical consumerism blog Hippyshopper for that!), if you want to go eco-friendly all the way, it is entirely possible and for the rest of you, even picking one organic element will help the earth.

I’ve drawn up a guide to the very best of green weddings from wedding dresses to bridal beauty, to shoes and accessories with wedding gifts, champagne and more to follow in part two. And if you have any of your own favourite green suppliers to add, make sure you leave a comment!

Dress
You think weddings, you naturally think wedding dress and there are some great styles out there. For those of you who’ll happily go for the ‘pre-loved’ option, check out a once worn dress at eBay (check out Amber’s eBay bargain of the week) or visit The Dressmarket. Oxfam has several dedicated bridal boutiques with new and used dresses and your fee, around £250 per dress, will go to helping the needy.

I love the idea of creating a bespoke gown that has all the elements you want from skirt shape to sash colours but I’m no seamstress and couture prices can be a little on the scary side. The next best thing has to be the design service at Olivia Luca. Several steps take you through designing your own gown from the bodice shape to the skirt legnth, the fabric and the colour and the price at the end depends on your choices. Wedding dresses, bridesmaids and formalwear are all catered for.

Click over to see what I did to take the plain silhouette on the left to the wedding dress on the right and how I made it fairtrade too!

Veils can be a variety of lengths and whilst many of you wouldn’t wear one, some of you dream of lengthy tulle cascading behind you. I’ve put together a handy guide so that you know what length to ask for. Most of the shorter lengths can be defined by where they end as you’ll see.

Blusher: This is the shortest style and sits just on the shoulders. Many veil lengths incorporate a blusher which can cover the face and then be pushed back to sit on top of the head after the ceremony. Blushers can be worn alone with informal dresses or paired with hats for a modern look.

Shoulder length: A very simple veil that sits on the shoulders and can be made to look fuller with a blusher. Fairly informal.

Elbow: A good choice for shorter brides as it spans to the elbow and won’t swamp you in fabric. Can be informal or formal.

Chapel or Cathedral? Puddle or Royal? What do they all have in common? They’re wedding dress train lengths of course. Now most of us might be more au fait with just asking for long or short but with a range of lengths and styles available, knowing what you’re asking for or being offered might just help, so I’ve put together a Know How guide of all those puzzling terms.

Chapel: One of the more popular choices, this length reaches around four feet as measured from the waist.

Duster/Brush/Sweeper: Interchangeable names for the shortest length of train which trails behind the dress for no more than a foot. Usually used on slim fitting, column style dresses.

"I think I may go mad if you can’t help me! I spied Wendy Hsu Mareas on Bridalwave many moons ago when it was first added but it was actually the veil in the accompanying picture that I want to find. I have searched and searched the net and been through all the different veil terminologies to find it but it still avails me (see, I’m obsessed!). I think it would be perfect for my hair and dress and wondered if you or anyone at Bridalwave knew what it was called or where I could find one? Kindest regards, Lauren."

In the interests of preserving your sanity, Lauren, I got straight on to the very fabulous designer Wendy Hsu and I have all the details you need! The veil, she tells me, was an original design created for her own wedding and as such doesn’t have a particular style name though she suggests it is similar to both a ‘mantilla’ veil as it has a single tier and a ‘cage’ veil which can be worn over the face.

Wendy suggests the best way of wearing this style would be at the back of the head over a chignon or on the crown. For those of you who, like me, adore the hair pins, they’re ‘Laurel’ and you can find them here.

"I have a question for Bridalwave readers. Has anyone used Jim Hjelm Occasions style 5735 as their wedding dress, pictured, but in ivory? I’m considering it, as I’m a budget bride, but am wondering how it will look!" Kara

Plucking a dress from the bridesmaid section is certainly something that we applaud – not only are prices generally less but you’ll still get a great designer gown. This particular style is by Jim Hjelm and whilst it looks elegant in black, it is available in ivory lace over any satin colour, making it a great bridal gown.

This one is for readers to answer though. Have any of you picked out this style or know someone who has? Kara wants your advice…

"I’m hoping you can help as I am a bit stuck! I’m looking for silver shoes for my bridesmaids which aren’t too strappy and go up to a size 9? I can’t seem to find anything! I like this Dorothy Perkin style, if only they did them in a size 9!" Helen B

This silver sandal is really pretty but a problem so many taller women encounter is the lack of larger sizes, even so the pair pictured do go up to a size 8 which is good. However, I’ve found a couple of similar styles that might suit.

"I love reading the blog, it has been incredibly helpful when organising my wedding this July! I really liked the recent posing on Topshop’s pretty lingerie, but do you know of any good seamfree lingerie? I have an empire line dress and so I don’t want anything frilly but all the seamfree stuff I have ever found is boring. Please help!" Julie

I love it when readers tell me how much they like Bridalwave – I get all warm and fluffy and willing to help, especially when it involves getting paid to look through knickers. The very nature of seamfree unfortunately knocks out a lot of the prettier styles leaving only the ones that won’t interfere with your overall look. I don’t know your size, but I’ve put together a few suggestions that I hope you’ll like and I’ve kept them to white assuming that your dress is too. The basque pictured here is ‘Eden’ by MaxCleavage at £29.99 with thong £10. A similar style but with more detailing to the cups and hem is the ‘Pearl’ basque – £27.99.